Rusty Staub On Ike Davis: You Can’t Go Up There Hoping

This evening, former Met Rusty Staub was joined by several Mets bloggers on a conference call.

On June 2nd, the Mets 50th Anniversary Alumni Bobblehead series will feature Rusty Staub. The following day, Staub will be a judge during Banner Day!

We were given a chance to ask Staub one question, so I decided to ask him about the relationship with a hitting coach during a slump, and what his thoughts on Ike Davis’ struggles were.

“The most important thing you have to understand is yourself. I don’t know what’s happening. I’m not privy to anything that’s being said in that dugout. I don’t have an idea what the hitting instructor is talking to Ike Davis about.”

“Ike Davis came up as a very good prospect as a hitter. He has very good talent. But right now, he’s so messed up in his head, it’s beyond comprehension. I’ve watched the Mets on TV quite a bit, and he’s had the bat in different positions, he’s pumping that thing up and down; he’s not giving himself much of a chance. I think he’s gotta slow it down, and be quieter. If your hands start moving down when that ball is coming, you’re not getting there. He does that a lot. He’s going to get out of this thing, whether he’s got to go to the minors and get himself together. I had to do that once in myself in my career.”

“What Ike has to start doing is study himself and know why he’s doing well when he’s doing well, and have an idea. Every pitcher has a strength and a weakness. Some don’t have as many weaknesses as others. You can’t go up there hoping. You have to go up there with an idea what you want to do against that pitcher, and you have to try and execute that. Right now, I think he’s so confused, I’m not too sure giving him a little time to get his act together wouldn’t be the best thing in the world for the young man, as terrible as that sounds. But, Ike will be back. It’s not easy to have the type of long-term injury the previous year and automatically come back and swing the bat great.”

(Thanks to Mets Blog for the transcript)

I think you have to really focus on a few statements but one in particular stands out to me. “He’s so messed up in his head, it’s beyond comprehension.”

From somebody like Rusty Staub to see that and say it, tells me a lot about Ike’s struggles.

He’s also acknowledging that perhaps Davis is trying to do too much. He’s moving his hands up and down the bat, and he is going to the plate “hoping.”

To me it’s as clear as it ever has been. Ike Davis needs to go to the minor leagues, and we as fans aren’t the only ones who see it. Living legends like Rusty Staub see it too.

Michael Branda grew up a Mets fan watching the mid 1980's teams and his favorite Met of all-time is (and was) Wally Backman. When it comes to sabermetrics versus old school thinking, he's in the middle and believes adopting new ways to get answers is helpful, especially when the old way has not produced results.